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Five Classic American Pickup Trucks (and one Canadian)

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 5-13, 2018

1939 Chevrolet Master Pickup

Photo – Mecum

The Chevrolet Master was produced between 1933 and 1942. After the war their model names would change, but the pickup truck had been part of their lineup for some time prior to that. Their pickups from this era shared the same basic design as their passenger cars as they were all offered as part of the same model line.

This truck is powered by Chevy’s 3.4-liter straight-six, likely producing 85 horsepower. The dark green shortbed example you see here was restored about 1,500 miles ago and it has a wooden bed. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $30,000.

1939 Plymouth Model PT81 1/2 Ton Pickup

Photo – Mecum

Yes, Plymouth built pickup trucks (other than the Scamp and Arrow). Before WWII started, they built some beautiful pickups. They built the Model PT line of trucks between 1937 and 1941, with the 1939 model dubbed “PT81.”

This truck is powered by a 3.3-liter straight-six. It’s well optioned and wonderfully restored. PT Plymouth pickups aren’t that easy to come by and they’re some of the prettiest trucks you can get. You can see more about this one here.

Update: Sold $36,300.

1941 Ford 1/2 Ton Pickup

Photo – Mecum

Mecum finds some great old pickups for their sales. The 1941 Ford was introduced, obviously, in 1941 and was the same model they picked up after the war ended, producing it through 1948. But, their 1941 Pickup used the leftover styling from 1940. So this truck was part of the newer line of cars (with a new-for-’41 color, Lockhaven Green), but still looks like an older one.

The engine here is an 85 horsepower, 3.6-liter Flathead V-8. This example had a frame-off restoration that took it back to as-new condition… likely better-than-new. Ford pickups never go out of style, and this is a great one. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $32,000.

Update: Sold, Mecum Indy 2018, $37,400.

1957 Dodge D100 Pickup

Photo – Mecum

The 1957 Dodge pickups are great-looking trucks, especially the ultra-rare D100 Sweptside. As discussed in that post, the D100 was actually part of the C Series of pickups that Dodge offered between 1954 and 1960. The D100 was the 1/2 ton model.

In 1957, the engine was either a six or eight and this truck has the 5.2-liter Red Ram V-8 making 204 horsepower. And it. Is. Clean. This is a great color scheme for a truck, very 1957. The 1950s offered some pretty pickups, and this is no exception. See more here.

Update: Sold $55,000.

1959 Mercury M100 Pickup

Photo – Mecum

Yes, even Mercury got in on the pickup game after WWII. The Mercury M-Series was offered between 1946 and 1968. Sold primarily in Canada, these trucks more or less mirrored Ford’s American offerings with slightly different exterior styling.

This third generation truck is the Canadian equivalent of the Ford F100, meaning it’s the 1/2 ton model. Two engines were offered in 1959, a 3.7-liter straight-six or a 4.8-liter V-8, and this truck is equipped with the former. It’s a step-side pickup that presents well enough. This is an interesting truck and a rarity in the U.S. Click here for more.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $16,000.

1972 International 1210 Pickup

Photo – Mecum

International Harvester, now a company that builds tractors and semis, used to build passenger vehicles. The final examples rolled off the line in 1980, and those were SUVs. True pickup production ended in 1975 when they built their final example of the D-Series Light Line pickup rolled off the line. These trucks were built between 1969 and 1975.

This Model 1210 was the 3/4 ton model and it’s powered by a 6.4-liter V-8. It’s got 4-wheel drive and this example appears to be a survivor. International-branded pickups don’t get the credit they deserve in collector circles as everyone wants a Ford, Chevy or Dodge. These were the workhorse trucks. IHC would be doing good business today if they had remained in the market, but instead you’ll have to settle for a time capsule like this one. Click here for more info.

1940 International D2 Pickup

Offered by Mecum | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | July 21-23, 2016

Photo – Mecum

This gorgeous Art Deco pickup truck hails from the days of International Harvester’s “passenger car” production. While they never actually built cars, they did offer light duty trucks – as opposed to their modern, exclusive focus on large commercial vehicles.

The International D1 series dates back to 1933. The updated, Art Deco D2 came about in 1937 and lasted through the first half of the 1940 model year. The D2 was the ½-ton truck and was available in two wheelbases. This is a short-wheelbase variant (as the LWB version was designated the D2H). It is powered by a 3.5-liter straight-six making 78 horsepower.

This example has been beautifully restored and features a wonderful color combination. It was an AACA award-winner in the late-1990s. While Ford and Chevrolet trucks from this era are ubiquitous, this will turn heads when people realize what it is. It will bring more than it’s original sticker of $620. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1923 Dort 25-K Five-Passenger Sport Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo – Bonhams

Like Moon, Dort was an automobile manufacturer from the 1920s that featured solid rims on a lot of their cars. It was a company that was co-founded by Billy Durant (and Josiah Dort) as the Flint Road Cart Company in the 1880s. Dort started building cars in 1917 (Durant had already jumped ship). Josiah Dort died in 1923 and 1924 was the final year for Dort automobiles.

The 25-K is powered by a 3.2-liter straight-six. It was Dort’s big car and the five-passenger Sport Touring was one of eight body styles offered. This particular car was once owned by William Harrah and JB Nethercutt. It should sell for between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $18,700.

1917 Briscoe Model B 4-24 Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo – Bonhams

Benjamin Briscoe was a big name in the early days of the automotive industry. He was the first major shareholder of Buick. He was half of Maxwell for a time as well. He founded his own car company in 1914 after the failure of the United States Motor Company – an early conglomerate of manufacturers, a sort of precursor to General Motors.

Briscoe built four-cylinder cars through 1921. This 24 horsepower example sports five-passenger touring body style that is simple yet attractive. Briscoes are pretty rare today and for $18,000-$24,000, this is a good chance to acquire a piece of motoring history. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $28,600.

1908 International Model A Runabout

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo – Bonhams

International Harvester is best known for their agricultural equipment and tractors. Today, as Navistar International, they build trucks. But when they first got in to road-going vehicles, high-wheelers were their strong suit. Their 1907 vehicles were very basic, but this 1908 is a little more advanced.

The Model A was the only model offered in 1908 – in runabout form only (be it two or four passenger, like this one). This car uses a flat-twin making 14 horsepower. It’s all original, which is amazing because these cars were popular in the most rural of areas. This one should bring between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $74,800.

1919 Cleveland Model 40 Two-Passenger Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo – Bonhams

There have been more than a handful of automobile companies that carried the name “Cleveland.” All of them were based in – you guessed it – Cleveland, Ohio. This Cleveland (the longest-running company with that name) built cars that were essentially smaller versions of the Chandler (and Chandler denied any relation). The company popped up in 1919 and lasted through 1926.

The Model 40 was built in 1919 and 1920 and uses a six-cylinder engine making 45 horsepower. That’s a lot, actually, considering that this example exists in two-passenger Roadster form. It’s a hot rod – tiny and powerful. Only 4,836 examples of the Model 40 were built and this one should provide its new owner with some inexpensive fun for between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $7,700.

1916 Mecca Thirty Touring

Offered by Bonhams | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | October 5, 2015

Photo – Bonhams

Jackpot. We love when cars like this come up for sale. If you’ve been following along, we’ve featured a couple of batches of rare, old American cars from manufacturers that weren’t around for very long. And this one was not around long at all – just two model years. The first year was a stillborn cyclecar. Series production occurred in 1916 only.

This car, with it’s 3.1-liter straight-four making 23 horsepower, sports a five-passenger touring body style – the largest offered by Mecca. This is thought to be the only surviving Mecca automobile. A rare treat indeed. It should bring between $15,000-$25,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

1954 International R100

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Palm Beach, Florida | April 17-19, 2015

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Light commercial vehicles – or everyday pickup trucks – are collectible because they’re cool and people grew up riding in them. And because they’re rare. Pickups weren’t always a style icon like some people see them today. They used to be work trucks. Many didn’t survive. Especially those built in smaller numbers by lesser remembered manufacturers.

International Harvester is still around, but they haven’t built passenger vehicles in decades. The R-Series line of pickups was built between 1953 and 1955. IHC would build series pickups through 1975. This truck is powered by a 3.6-liter straight-six making 104 horsepower.

This truck was treated to a nut and bolt restoration and is painted in its original colors. It’s a beautiful, clean truck that represents the base model for International trucks in 1954 (the R100 was new for ’54 and was $60 less expensive than the R-110 and had four more horsepower). It’s pretty nice. Read more here and check out the rest of Barrett-Jackson’s auction lineup here.

1979 International Scout II Rallye

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 23, 2015

Photo – Mecum

Jeeps kind of had the market cornered with off-road utility vehicles after the war until International Harvester threw their hat into the ring in 1960 with the Scout. The original Scout model was the Scout 80 and there would be numerous other versions produced until the model range went away after 1980, which makes this Scout II a very late example.

The Scout II was a four-wheel drive SUV produced between 1971 and 1980. They were all two-doors and could be had as a wagon or pickup. These were the days when SUVs were somewhat crude and entirely functional – none of that front-wheel drive Honda CRV cute-ute business we have today.

The catalog description is bit vague here, saying that it as a V-8, but it doesn’t specify if it is a 4.4-liter or 5.0-liter. It does have the Rallye package and the hardtop is removable. These are really interesting, cool trucks and the forefathers of the modern SUV. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Mecum’s lineup.

1901 International Charette Double Phaeton

Offered by RM Auctions | Hershey, Pennsylvania | October 9, 2014

Photo – RM Auctions

Here’s a strange one. Most car people, when they see the brand name “International,” think of the famous International Harvester Company, which did indeed build cars prior to WWI. But this International is actually from London. The company (the International Motor Car Company) was founded in 1898 and lasted through 1904.

They didn’t actually build their own cars – instead, farmed out the construction of them to other companies, only to sell them under their own brand name. Anyone remember when Saturn was going out of business and Roger Penske wanted to buy it and run the company in a similar fashion? That is, until GM said “Uhhh, don’t think so.”

Anyway, this car was built by Allard & Co. (no, not that Allard) in Coventry and uses a six horsepower 823cc single-cylinder engine. It was restored by the original purchasing family in the 1960s and needs a slight freshening to be road-worthy. You can get started here soon, for the cost of $70,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this awesome sale.

The Littlefield Collection

1942 Cadillac M5 Stuart

Photo – Auctions America

Labeling this as a Cadillac might be a little misleading, but Cadillac did build it – so why shouldn’t they get the credit? The M5 was a version of the M3 Stuart – one of the most popular light tanks of the Second World War. General Motors was behind it and the M5 was basically an M3 with upgraded armor.

In all, 2,074 M5s were built – only 1,470 were built by Cadillac in Michigan. This tank has been given a new engine and fresh restoration. It runs and drives wonderfully and is usable. The engines are twin 8-cylinders from Cadillac making a combined output of 220 horsepower. It can do 36 mph and be yours for $100,00-$150,000. Click here for more info.

1943 International M5 Half-Track

Apparently, it’s the day of “vehicles that begin with “M” and are followed by a number”. The M5 Half-Track is very similar to the M3 Half-Track (of which we’ve featured an example). The M5 was built by the International Harvester Corporation and had heavier armor than the M3 and a different engine – in this case, a 7.4-liter engine. But this particular vehicle was used by Israel after the war and they replaced the engine with the current six-cylinder GM diesel making 212 horsepower.

Only 4,625 M5s were built between 1942 and 1943. Israel used them into the mid-1980s. You can buy this driving example for $35,000-$45,000. Read more here.

The Michael Banfield Collection

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

1922 AEC S-Type Open Top Double Deck Bus

Photo – Bonhams

AEC is known as the double-decker bus company. Their Routemaster double-decker is one of the most famous of the type. But their double-deckers go back to before WWI. The S-Type was built between 1920 and 1927, with 849 (double-deckers) built for the London General Omnibus Company – for which this example was built.

The engine is a 35 horsepower 5.1-liter straight-four and it is said that this was as good as public transport got in London back in the day. It can transport up to 54 people – 26 inside and 28 up top in the weather.

This is thought to be one of only two S-Type double-deckers in existence. And it had a really cool story, which you can read more of here. The price? $130,000-$150,000.

1929 Chevrolet LQ International 14-Seater Coach by Bush & Twiddy

Offered by Bonhams | Staplehurst, U.K. | June 14, 2014

Photo – Bonhams

This Chevrolet is a British Chevrolet and a precursor to the Bedford marque (which would be GM’s British commercial vehicle marque the year after this was built). What’s the coolest thing about this 14-passenger bus? Yes, that’s a convertible roof you see. How sweet.

The engine is a 2.9-liter straight-six. Michael Banfield bought this for £25 in the early 1960s and restored it in 1962-63. It’s been used a fair amount since. It should bring between $25,000-$34,000. Click here for more info.